BetsyB

Old habits die hard. What triggered you tonight? You're admittedly not hungry---so what was going on? Boredom? Loneliness? Avoidance of another task? Grief for the lost "friend" in food? An irritating conversation with someone on the phone? A bad work situation? Frustrating homework? If bingeing was part of your life before banding, the band will not magically reverse this. You will build new habits that don't include bingeing---but it might take time. Be patient with yourself. Be proud that you didn't binge. If you found something that took your mind off it and kept you from the kitchen, take note---it might be another tool for your toolbelt. It gets better with time.

Congratulations!

My doctor doesn't have a mushy stage. I started on pureed protein on Day 3 postop. After a couple of weeks on purees, I moved on to solids (protein only). And after a specified period, nonstarchy veggies were added. That's where I am now; I'll be adding a serving/day of fruit in a couple of weeks----and that is it until I reach 75% of excess weight lost, at which point whole grains can be added in, in moderation.

Hang in there. It gets easier after a couple of days. Your liver will start releasing stored glycogen for energy, and you'll be comfier physically. The preop diet really is the hardest part of it all, IMO. You can get through it--and then, it's all downhill.

I understand the rationale as related to the vomiting, but if that has passed, I'd ask for a fill. You have at least 5 ccs left---cutting you off now, without restriction, to guard against a time when you might require more due to a possible change in your stomach size seems premature. Who knows? Maybe a very slight fill will do it for you. You were at your sweet spot; it might take just a very small amount of saline to do the trick.

I'm sorry you had an awful experience. My surgeon does all his fills--with fluoroscopy--so I've never had the same. It sounds horrible. You were barely able to walk? Where was she jabbing? It's too bad they don't have the policy of everywhere I've ever worked: no staff member can make more than 3 attempts before asking someone with more experience to take over. I think this should be a universal sticking-the-patient rule. I hope you find a good solution with the fluoro. But hey, what's with the "only 20 pounds"? Have you ever been able to lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks before?! In a way that's going to allow you to keep it off?

There's not really much willpower involved at this point. There's a finite amount of space, and it gets filled :frown: I don't think there's really a "right" or "wrong" way to eat, but I do try to make sure that, because there's only a certain amount of space, I get the nutrients my body needs. To do that, I have to use the space really wisely. (And even so, I find that I consistently don't get enough of certain things--and have bumped up my supplements accordingly.) I find that journaling what I eat on Fitday.com helps me tremendously. It might help you, too. While eating biscuits and gravy is certainly "allowed" with a band, if you were to track your intake of nutrients, you might find that you want to use the real estate in your stomach differently so that you lose at a rate you're more comfortable with. In your first post, you state that you've only lost three pounds since banding. It might be time to consider that, really, it's not just about portion size, but also about the kinds of foods you're choosing.

Some redness is to be expected. Redness plus increased pain, swelling, drainage, and/or fever indicate infection. You've got that base covered with the antibiotic, so you can rest easy on that front. I did have issues with the steri-strips; my skin really doesn't like adhesives, and was very happy when they fell off!

What makes you think you did anything wrong? You didn't. The scale doesn't give the whole story. As a daily weigher, you surely have seen fluctuations before. Why is this one bothering you more than the others? Because it pushed you back over your milestone? That gain is not "real." You've lost 50 pounds. Chances are the 2 pounds will be gone tomorrow---perhaps with another pound for good measure. Deep breaths. You're doing great. Don't let what a less-than-accurate piece of machinery tells you dictate your outlook for the day.

Well, I'm not sure I'd correlate the snacking to the scale success. Plateaus begin and end for no real rhyme or reason---it was coincidence, most likely. But I'm glad you enjoyed the cookout!

Bread's not part of my plan, but everyone I know says that the crust is the easiest part to tolerate! (The softer inside is what gets gummy and can get stuck.) It's so weird how we all get told different things by our doctors. There's nothing about the crust that makes it less suitable, nutritionally. But trimming means that less goes into your body! Maybe that's the motivation...?

My eating plan is similar to Leigha's, but simpler: 3-4 ounce lean Protein (chicken, fish, beef, pork, Beans, whatever), weighed. And 1/2 cup nonstarchy veggies. Once a day, a serving of fruit. That's it. I add 1-2 Protein shakes a day, too (sorry, Dr. Lahmann :frown:) So a typical day looks like this: 5:30-ish: warm Protein shake, Vitamins & meds between 5:30-9:00: liter of Fluid 9:00-10:00: exercise 10:00: 4-6 ounces black bean chili made with ground chicken breast (this is protein + veggie) 11:30-1:00: 500 cc fluid 1:00: 3-4 ounces fish or chicken, 1/2 cup veggies or 1/2 cup fruit with fat-free cottage cheese and a T ground flax seed 2:30-6:00-ish: liter of fluid 6:00 3-4 ounces fish, chicken, beef, or pork (if I'm lucky--I've been tight at night lately) 6:30-7:30: exercise 7:30-9:00-ish: sips of fluid (winding down for the night) 9:00-ish: protein shake

Do you mean now, or in the mushy stage?

Kookaburra, I knew there wasn't a need to be worried for you because you are now talking about it. Being able to assign words to the experience and put it into the daylight made so much difference to me. The past is no longer threatening to my wellbeing--and moving forward is now possible. I have to add that I really understand the rage toward the mothers (and mothers' husbands) who helped create this in us. It was so profoundly wrong---and so profoundly unfair. Being angry is a natural response. I believe it's what we swallowed for so many years. It helped us build our fortresses of fat. FEELING it is a good thing--no matter what we were taught as children. Feeling and expressing our feelings will allow us to move forward healthfully. I'm glad you have a great therapist. Good luck to you. :frown:

I haven't decided for sure. I think we're doing a prime rib wit roasted potatoes and asparagus and green salad, but may go with an Easter ham or rosemary-lemon lamb kabobs. It really depends on what looks good when I go shopping.

Okay guys, I admit it--I'm overwhelmed. I want to write individual posts to everyone, but have been staying away because it's just overwhelming to me right now. I don't want to stay away--I get so much from this thread. So I hope you will forgive me for reading & empathizing--and responding piecemeal. Things here are....well, as you might have gathered, overwhelming. Mark saw the transplant guys on Monday. They are going to do some more testing, but after he's had his meds knocked down to much lower doses for a period of time. They were kind of cryptic, but my read is that the aim is to have the tests show what a less-assisted (therefore sicker) heart does during the test. The only rationale I can identify for this is that they want to list him, and want the results to better reflect what is going on with him. If you were to look at him---and some of his results while optimally medicated---you'd say, "Oh, well, he's not so sick." But he really is. He feels awful all the time, and is getting worse. He also has diabetes that will eventually rule out transplant. It's my feeling that they are pushing the envelope a little so that he can be listed. I knew all of this was likely to happen. I've known it for 10 years. BUT, knowing something intellectually (and in the distant future) is different from its realization. So I am ...discombobulated. Not on the surface---but in my head. So that's why I'm scattered to the wind. Denise--I LOVE your new picture! Gorgeous! Yes, Truman is faithfully walking me---it preserves what little remains of my sanity. Leigha-Congrats on 150!! You look fabulous, and I bet you feel fabulous, too! More later--the dog is looking at me dolefully.

I'll start by admitting that I haven't used it myself. However, just a few months ago, a very, very built cable guy working in my house talked about it with me. He was noticeably limping, and in terrible pain---and when we started talking, he revealed it was because of P90. The guy was in great shape. But it kicked his ass! He said it was a very good, but very difficult, workout. He liked that it as an alternative to the gym--he was able to get a quicker workout in. But he said it was hard. It worked muscles he didn't even know he had. Poor guy. I gave him Advil for the road LOL

I'm really sorry you're so upset. I would be, too, in your shoes. That's a distant surgery date if I've ever seen one! There are a lot of surgeons who perform banding in your area. I bet you'll find that more than one accepts your insurance. That's the route I'd take. Waiting for clearance from specialists is one thing. As is waiting for insurance clearance. But waiting months for a surgery date? Unless my surgeon was spectacular, the only one within a 200-mile radius who performed the procedure, or in Haiti doing relief work, or something---I'd find it very difficult to justify putting everything on hold (and jeopardizing those clearances/coverage.) Aside from the logistical nightmare, you've seen a cardiologist, pulmonologist, and other specialists who have cleared you for surgery based on your condition now. Five months from now, your condition may be different. So in addition to throwing a real wrench into the works in terms of schedule, this type of delay can actually impact your physical safety and well-being. I hope you find a good solution fast!

That's how I felt, Anne. I was so grateful that the surgery was really going to happen that I wasn't willing to compromise that in any way. Even though my preop diet fell during the holidays!

I can't think of a better reason to experience a weight gain than two beautiful babies :frown: Welcome back--you've done it before, so you know you can do it now! The husband is tricky. I understand personal preferences, but "chubby" leaves a lot of room for leeway. In your shoes, I'd work hard to get to a weight that is healthy. He loves you, not your body fat. (I mean, my husband admires leggy 22-year-olds. I'm not leggy, and I'm not 22. It's just a preference, and I'd drive myself insane if I felt I had to become what I'm not.)

Oh--and it's not legal for your doctor to withhold your records from you. The original is legally his to keep. You have a right to a copy. It sounds as though he needs to be reminded of your rights (and remedies).

Don't give up--you've come too far. Your aftercare sounds like it's sorely lacking. Were you given no diet guidelines? What a shame! Is there another doctor in the area whose practice you could use?

Holy moly! What an ordeal--I am glad you're okay!

I don't think it's at all unusual not to have restriction at your level. It takes many people longer to reach a sense of restriction---and very, very few of them go on to "run out of real estate." As the band gets fuller, fills of smaller increments can really make a difference. I don't really understand the PA's resistance. The aim is for you to achieve restriction, whether that be .2 ccs from now, or 2 ccs from now, or 2.2 ccs from now. What s/he wants does not correlate with the reality you're experiencing---and what you are experiencing needs to be the guide. I would ask for the doctor's input on this. They really need to work with you to achieve appropriate restriction--and if that means that they push their comfort envelope a little, so be it. You're not going to overshoot the available space. You're nowhere near that point. But let's say you get right up there to the wire. That's okay. If you find restriction right exactly at your band's max, then you've found restriction in a way that fits in with the guidelines for that band. I am not sure why you're running into so much resistance. It's not like if you ignore the situation, it's going to improve spontaneously! (FWIW, I have 7.3 cc and while I think I'm approaching good restriction, no one has even begun to suggest that continuing fills is inappropriate.) The point is that she doesn't have restriction. Whether you did, or I did, or anyone else in the doctor's practice did is irrelevant. The doctor's office should be working to achieve the best result for her. And that means listening to her experiences, and tailoring their approach to her response to her band.

Congratulations!!